Multi-application ankle support footwear

Abstract

An ankle supporting shoe comprising a sole member. Attached to the top surface of the sole member is a midsole including a planar portion having a continuous flange formed partially about and extending upwardly from the planar portion. Attached to the upper surface of the midsole and a toe portion of the top surface of the sole member is a structural member including a base portion formed to suit the shape of the wearer's foot and lateral and medial struts extending upwardly from the base portion. A boot is attached to the sole member in a manner wherein the lateral strut extends between the outer surface of a lateral side portion of the boot and the inner surface of the flange, with the medial strut extending between the outer surface of a medial side portion of the boot and the inner surface of the flange. Upper and lower strap members are engaged to the shoe which, when tightened, cause the lateral strut to extend about the front of the lateral malleolus of the ankle and the medial strut to extend behind the medial malleolus of the ankle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ankle supporting shoe wearable on a wearer's foot having a plantar surface, ankle, heel, shin, lateral malleolus and medial malleolus, said shoe comprising: a sole member defining lateral and medial edges and a generally planar top surface having heel, toe and central portions;   a boot attached to said sole member, said boot defining a toe portion, a vamp portion and an ankle portion surrounding the ankle, heel and lower shin of the wearer's foot when such is inserted into the boot, said ankle portion including lateral and medial side panel portions; and   a brace member attached to the top surface of said sole member, comprising: a base portion formed to suit the shape of at least a portion of the plantar surface of the wearer's foot; and   curved lateral and medial struts extending upwardly from said base portion;   said lateral strut being formed and oriented on the base portion so as to extend upwardly along the lateral aspect of the ankle and about the front of the lateral malleolus and subsequently along the lower lateral and frontal aspects of the shin when the foot is inserted into the boot and the boot tightened; and   said medial strut being formed and oriented on the base portion so as to extend upwardly along the medial aspect of the ankle and about the back of the medial malleolus and subsequently along the lower medial aspect of the shin when the foot is inserted into the boot and the boot tightened.     
     
     
       2. The shoe of claim 1 further comprising: a fastening means cooperatively engaged to said boot and said lateral and medial struts, said fastening means being selectively tightenable and operable to compress the boot when tightened to maintain the shoe upon the wearer's foot.   
     
     
       3. The shoe of claim 2 further including a midsole, comprising: a planar portion attached to the top surface of said sole member and disposed between the sole member and the base portion of said brace member, said planar portion being sized to substantially cover the heel and central portions of said top surface;   a continuous flange formed partially about and extending upwardly from the planar portion, said flange extending about the heel portion of said top surface and having a first end extending along the lateral edge of the sole member to the toe portion of the top surface and a second end extending along the medial edge of the sole member to the central portion of the top surface;   a first aperture disposed in the first end of the flange; and   a second aperture disposed in the second end of the flange.   
     
     
       4. The shoe of claim 3 wherein said boot is attached to said sole member in a manner wherein said lateral strut extends upwardly between said lateral side panel portion and said flange and said medial strut extends upwardly between said medial side panel portion and said flange. 
     
     
       5. The shoe of claim 4 wherein said lateral strut is attached to said lateral side panel portion and said medial strut is attached to said medial side panel portion. 
     
     
       6. The shoe of claim 5 wherein said lateral strut includes an upper portion having an upper aperture disposed therein and a lower portion having a lower aperture disposed therein. 
     
     
       7. The shoe of claim 6 wherein said fastening means comprises: an elongate lower strap extending over the foot and vamp portions of the boot and having a first proximal end extending through the first aperture of the flange and secured to a first proximal portion of the lower strap, and a first distal end extending through the second aperture of the flange and the lower aperture of said lateral strut, said first distal end being releasably attachable to a first distal portion of the lower strap; and   an elongate upper strap extending about the ankle portion of the boot and the lateral and medial struts and having a second proximal end extending through the upper aperture of said lateral strut and secured to a second proximal portion of the upper strap, and a second distal end extending through a loop member disposed about the second proximal portion, said distal end being releasably attachable to a second distal portion of the upper strap.   
     
     
       8. The shoe of claim 7 wherein said upper strap is releasably attachable to said medial strut. 
     
     
       9. The shoe of claim 6 wherein said boot is attached to said sole member in a manner wherein said lateral strut extends upwardly within said lateral side panel portion and said medial strut extends upwardly within said medial side panel portion. 
     
     
       10. The shoe of claim 9 wherein said fastening means comprises: an elongate lower strap extending over the foot and vamp portions of the boot and having a first proximal end extending through said first aperture of the flange and secured to a first proximal portion of the strap, and a first distal end extending through said second aperture of the flange and said lower aperture of said lateral strut via a first opening disposed within said lateral side panel portion, said first distal end being releasably attachable to a first distal portion of the lower strap; and   an elongate upper strap extending about the ankle portion of the boot and having a second proximal end extending through said upper aperture of said lateral strut via a second opening disposed within said lateral side panel portion and secured to a second proximal portion of the upper strap, and a second distal end extending through a loop member disposed about said second proximal portion, said second distal end being releasably attachable to a second distal portion of the upper strap.   
     
     
       11. The shoe of claim 10 wherein said fastening means further comprises shoelaces for drawing the lateral and medial side panel portions toward each other when tightened. 
     
     
       12. The shoe of claim 10 wherein said upper strap is releasably attachable to said medial side panel portion. 
     
     
       13. A method for fabricating an ankle-supporting shoe comprising the steps of: attaching a midsole to a top surface of a sole member, said midsole including a planar portion attached to the top surface and a continuous flange formed partially about and extending upwardly from the planar portion;   attaching a brace member to an upper surface of the planar portion and a toe portion of the top surface of the sole member, said brace member including a single base portion sized to completely cover the upper surface of the planar portion and the toe portion of the top surface when attached thereto, and curved lateral and medial struts extending upwardly from the base portion; and   attaching a boot to the sole member in a manner wherein said lateral strut extends upwardly between a lateral side panel portion of the boot and the flange, and said medial strut extends upwardly between a medial side panel portion of the boot and the flange.   
     
     
       14. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of attaching the lateral strut to the lateral side panel portion and the medial strut to the medial side panel portion. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 13 wherein said boot is attached to the sole member in a manner wherein said lateral strut extends upwardly within said lateral side panel portion and said medial strut extends upwardly within said medial side panel portion. 
     
     
       16. An ankle supporting shoe wearable on a wearer's foot having a plantar surface, ankle, heel, shin, lateral malleolus and medial malleolus, said shoe comprising: a sole member defining lateral and medial edges and a generally planar top surface having heel, toe and central portions;   a boot attached to said sole member, said boot defining a toe portion, a vamp portion and an ankle portion surrounding the ankle, heel and lower shin of the wearer's foot when such is inserted into the boot, said ankle portion including lateral and medial side panel portions; and   a brace member attached to the top surface of said sole member, comprising: a base portion formed to suit the shape of the plantar surface of the wearer's foot and sized to extend along the entire length of the plantar surface of the wearer's foot; and   curved lateral and medial struts extending upwardly from said base portion;   said lateral strut being formed and oriented on the base portion so as to extend upwardly along the lateral aspect of the ankle and about the front of the lateral malleolus and subsequently along the lower lateral and frontal aspects of the  shin when the foot is inserted into the boot and the boot tightened; and   said medial strut being formed and oriented on the base portion so as to extend upwardly along the medial aspect of the ankle and about the back of the medial malleolus and subsequently along the lower medial aspect of the shin when the foot is inserted into the boot and the boot tightened.